Twitter working on two-factor password authentication, following high profile AP hack

Twitter is working to beef-up account security by rolling out two-factor authentication in the near future, reports Wired.

Two-factor authentication can deter hackers by asking for two pieces of information when trying to access an account. This type of feature has already been implemented by Microsoft, Google, Apple and others, where they ask for your traditional password and a code sent to a phone or email when logging in.

The extra security couldn't come at a better time for Twitter, with many popular accounts having been hacked in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press Twitter account was hacked to falsely report there had been an explosion in the White House that had injured President Obama. While obviously fake, it caused a minor ripple on the US Stock Exchange, and shortly after Twitter suspended the account. Furthermore, 60 Minutes and the BBC have also been victims of similar hacks.

It's not clear how soon Twitter will implement the feature or to whom it will available at launch. Will it land for just the high-profile news organisations and celebrities or will everyone have access?

A few of us here at Pocket-lint have two-factor authentication enabled on our Gmail account and love it. Given Twitter is valuable and carries a lot of brands' images, we'd deem this a pretty necessary feature from the folks at Twitter.

The baby of the Lint team, Jake is responsible for covering the latest news out of the US. He began writing technology news at 15, covering the world of Apple for several publications. He has a deep interest in the latest gadgets and gizmos. Outside of breaking news, Jake enjoys drumming, music and photography.